


The tourist

by orangetree



Category: South Park
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Never Met, M/M, tourist fling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 20:33:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18818491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orangetree/pseuds/orangetree
Summary: “You were supposed to be my tourist fling, but one look into those eyes and I was done.” Kyle tipped his chin up so he could look into those giant eyes. “We’re both headed off to different places this fall, so let's enjoy the time we have now.” Craig tucked himself under Kyle’s chin and nestled into his chest. He was always making plans for tomorrow and sometimes he forget about today. Kyle seemed to live in the moment and he was too busy looking to the future. Maybe this is exactly what he needed.





	The tourist

**Author's Note:**

> This is my fic for cryle week! Its day 2, au.

The air was warm and it smelled like salt in the way South Park never could. This thaw and crispness of ocean air and sunny days that actually felt like summer. Craig stepped out of the car and stretched, his skinny arms above his head. The car was a rental and his parents made sure to let Trish and know they would not tolerate any sort of shenanigans in it. Not that they would, they were as type A and tidy as their parents were. They raised little perfect miniatures of themselves.

They thought they were doing him a favour, getting him out of South Park that summer. Away from the reminders of sleepless nights studying for AP exams and college dreams and everything else that made his senior year what it was. Away from the very mutual breakup he had with Tweek. No drama, no tears, just a simple, we’re going in different directions, I don't want to hold you back. A hug and a promise to stay friends. Tweek was going to be a counselor at a youth drama camp that summer before starting community college. Craig was spending his summer on the Jersey Shore before starting at Princeton in the fall. They had already been texting back and forth, he couldn’t imagine going a day without talking to him. Tweek had woven himself into the tapestry that was Craig Tucker’s life. He was like a limb, a constant. He couldn’t imagine a time where he didn’t know him.

Eric Cartman called them the affirmative action trio. They were in the newspaper. Three kids from their shitty little school who all made it into Ivy League schools. Token Black was going to Dartmouth, Wendy Testaburger to Yale and he was going to Princeton. They wore their respective college sweatshirts and their picture was in the paper posing with their admissions letters. Token was black, Wendy was half Lebanese and he was half Peruvian. Not that any of those things mattered. He didn’t like someone telling him he wasn’t working hard enough. That last year nearly killed him with studying and volunteering and extracurriculars. It left him little time for anything else and at least Token felt the same way. He had someone to scream with and get no sleep with. Tweek was a good boyfriend, he would rub his back and bring him coffee and fuck him into a peaceful sleep. But he wasn’t like him. He didn’t work himself to half hysterics or tell himself he wasn’t smart enough, he wasn’t working hard enough. Free time was a privilege, not a right. Tweek liked what he had, he didn’t yearn like him. He liked the coffee shop and he liked South Park and he was content. Craig was never content enough for their small town.

But in the end, Tweek wasn’t enough to keep him there. He was going to Princeton and he wanted more. Even though it was mutual, he wondered if he hadn’t brought it up, would Tweek had? They were so in love at one point and then by the end it just felt like friends who liked to hang out and have sex. Tweek was a good partner, he was. He was mindful of him and he knew him, but he didn’t feel that spark at the end. It was comfortable and it was easy. He wanted more than that, he was very talented at wanting more. He wanted to see the world and go into space and go to an ivy league school. He wanted to be smarter and better. He wanted the world around him to be better and it made him so sad sometimes when it wasn’t. Things sucked, but they’ll pass was his motto when he was younger, before he really knew things. Now he knew things and he wanted the world to be better when it wasn’t. 

“You have weltschmerz.” Tweek would tell him as he stroked his soft black hair. “You’re so world weary.” He kissed his closed eyelids, lashes making shadows on his cheeks. He knew he wasn’t exactly wrong. He was world weary for a seventeen year old and he wondered if that would go away over time or just get much much worse. Maybe a mind numbing trip to the Jersey shore would turn his brain off. He had to be in New Jersey anyways in August for school, might as well spend two months here just getting used to the surroundings. He already missed Colorado. Things were too bright and too loud here. He was used to the sleepiness of a small town where you knew every inch of it. This was unfamiliar territory. As much as Craig longed to get out, he liked the way you could wrap familiarity around himself like worn blanket. It was comforting.

“This will get your mind off things, you’ve been so stressed this year.” His mom put her arm around his bony shoulder and led him inside their vacation home. It was nice like vacation homes were. All airy and light with windows and white furniture. His dad had a friend who lent this to him, he couldn’t make it to the shore this year. They claimed their bedrooms and he sat in the bay window seat and looked out at the ocean. It was beautiful and it made him feel at peace. Just sparkling water and the sounds of people milling around. He would explore this tomorrow, tonight he wanted to unpack his things and listen to Modern Baseball and maybe read a little. Just soak in the first night of a new place. He didn’t really do well with that, he liked familiarity. This was new, it was all going to be new soon. He had to stand still for a moment to get there.

Trish was more social than he was. She made friends easily and adapted to things better. She woken up and put on cut off shorts and a pretty yellow bikini and went down to the beach to read and play in the water. She had already made friends with the kids who were vacationing next door and their older sister said she would keep an eye on them. She was a bored looking nineteen year old and he waved off her invitation to join them. He had to do things on his time and his way. 

“I'm going out on my own.” He told his parents quietly. He had his eye on the boardwalk rather than the beach. Anyone could just lay there and get tan, he wanted to see what this place had to offer him. Little tourist shops and beach stands lined the boardwalk with cafes and restaurants sprinkled in between. He found a used bookstore where he stocked up on enough books to get him through this first month. He found a little record shop where he could browse until his heart was content, which it never was. He was looking through a stack of indie records when he heard a voice behind him.

“Hey baby, what are you looking at?” He looked around for a moment to see who this person with the very stereotypical Jersey accident with a hint of Yiddish was talking to. The only other person even close to him and the mystery voice was an old man looking through jazz records.

“Excuse me?” He turned around and there was a man. A tall man, taller than him, taller than most people he knew. He had dark red hair and pretty green eyes. He was built like he actually went to gym daily. A Cure tshirt with the sleeves cut off and a gold necklace with the star of david on it. Gold rings on his fingers and a very expensive looking watch. He smelled good, like cologne that he couldn’t afford and he had a nice smile. Pretty perfect white teeth that made him feel self conscious about his own braces adorned smile.

“What’s your name gorgeous?” He was smooth and suddenly he was next to him, his arm almost pressed against Craig’s. He didn’t know why this man, this clearly stereotypical jersey lunkhead man, was making his cheeks flush. He felt heat under his skin and he ducked his face down for a moment to hide this. He was pretending to read the cover of a Belle and Sebastian album that he already owned. “Im Kyle, but most people around here call me Kyley B.” He reached out to shake Craig’s hand. He had nice big hands, slightly tanned and freckled much like his own. His own hands were smaller and slimmer with long fingers, musician hands Tweek used to call them. The tips of his fingers were calloused from playing the viola and Kyle, he refused to ever call him Kyley B, brought his soft tan hand to his lips and kissed it.

“Im Craig.” He felt self conscious and awkward and too skinny and baby faced for this man. He was torn between wanting him to leave him alone and wanting him to take him into the listening booth and press him against the wall and fuck him. He wasn’t his type, he didn’t even know if he had a type or what it would be, but he knew not this man. But there was something about him. He was very confident and he liked that. He was tall and he liked that too. His arm was bigger than his entire tiny torso and he really like that. He wanted to wrap his hand around his bicep and squeeze gently. He was attractive and he couldn’t see this man as complicated in the slightest. Maybe he needed that. He was complicated and Tweek was complicated and together things were always odd and undercut with this current of voyeurism from the town and he hated that. This could be easy and fun and maybe he missed getting fucked like his life depending on it. Maybe that’s what he actually wanted, a good hard vacation fuck and he never had to see this person ever again.

“Why don't you let me buy you an ice cream cone?” Kyle motioned towards the door and Craig looked at him through his lashes. That was his one move, he had one flirting move. It wasn’t a great one, but it was one. He seemed to like it well enough, he felt a strong arm around his waist, leading him towards one of the ice cream stands dotting the boardwalk. They didn’t talk much and that was fine with him, he didn’t really like to talk anyways. Cherry vanilla was his favourite flavour and he looked at Kyle as he licked over the ice cream, he could have been more subtle or he could have this man right where he needed him to be. He was good at getting what he wanted, so this was perfect.

“You’re pretty, you hear that a lot?” Kyle had a chocolate ice cream cone with crushed nuts on top and he had this little smile playing on his face. He had this feeling he knew what was up. That this skinny little baby faced tourist was trying to flirt in his own quiet way and licking an ice cream purposely at him was doing the trick. 

“Not really, but I don't mind it.” He didn’t mind it. Tweek would tell him all the time he was beautiful and he was smart and he was going to do great things. These words lived in his head and his heart and he missed hearing them. No one else was going to care about dorky Craig Tucker with his guinea pigs and his love of science. But this handsome, very stupid seeming boy took a liking to him. Wanted to invest his afternoon with him. He wanted to invest his afternoon with him too. He wanted to ride that dick until it fell off and then disappear and never see him again. He wasn’t a bold person, that was never his way. He learned that when you’re rash, things like your insane teacher being elected president happened. That the town went from one odd occurance to another and no one seemed to noticed happened. He planned and worked and made sure it was the right decision for him. He wasn’t rash, he didn’t like rash. But this, this was rash and impulsive and it was so unlike him it was almost shocking. 

This is what he wanted, to find something new and exciting. To see who he could be outside of tweekandcraig. Maybe he just wanted a distraction because he was about to be away from home for the first time in his life. Or maybe he didn’t know what he wanted because he was eighteen years old and was making a very selfish decision for the first time in his life. But in that moment in time, he knew he wanted Kyle. 

He walking down the boardwalk with Kyle, he let him put his arm around his skinny waist and slip his big hand under his shirt to rub over the warm skin. He let him take him to his favourite spot on the beach, watching the water. He watched the sun light up his dark red hair, making it look shot through with gold. He reached over and touched his jawline gently, fingertips going over the slightly stubbled skin. He felt those green eyes on his, Kyle’s big hands on his waist. He let them travel downwards, towards his hips and squeeze them gently. He pulled him into his lap so he was straddling him and Kyle gave his ass a squeeze. 

“What can I do for you baby?” He felt Kyle’s thick fingers thread through his dark hair, pushing it off his forehead.”What can daddy do for you?” He felt lips near his ear, his breath was warm and his hands were big. He put his hands on his chest, over his clothed pecs and pressed down gently. He knew what he wanted him to do for him, he knew that this was moving fast. He had this sweet little face, he was nerdy with nerdy interests, he wasn’t someone people would expect to have a one night stand on vacation. But here he was, feeling Kyle’s erection against his thigh and it was felt impressive. He pressed down on it with his bony frame and heard Kyle let out a soft groan. 

“Why don’t you show me your place?” He put his hands on his toned shoulders and squeezed. Every inch of this man was gorgeous. Beautiful freckled skin, a toned muscular frame, dark red hair. Pretty green eyes and he wanted him. He was hard against him and squeezing his ass. He buried his face against the side of his slim throat and he could feel his stubble against his skin. He wrapped his skinny arms around the back of his neck and pulled himself closer. It was taking all of his self control not to let Kyle mount him right here on the beach in front of all these tourists.

“I can do that.” He lifted him up like he weighed nothing, like he did this everyday. Just picked up awkward little tourists and offered to take them back to his place. He didn’t mind, whomever came before him was history and he was Kyle’s tonight. No histories, no exchanging life stories. Just sex. Nothing had to be complicated.

He was trying so hard not to judge Kyle as they drove in his souped up little BMW convertible with it’s shiny red finish and black racing stripe, driving up to a gaudy mcmansion with a big iron gate and round driveway. Everything was tacky gold and white and the tv was as big as the wall in the living room. He held Craig’s soft tan hand as he led him up the stairs, he could hear the thumping bass of rap music from behind a closed bedroom door.

“That's my bro’s room, he won't bother us.” Kyle explained as they walked past his brother’s room and into his bedroom. He pressed him up against his door, holding his wrists above his head. Craig pressed his entire skinny body to Kyle’s and let him press a thigh between his legs, lightly rolling his hips against his. “I'm going to fucking wreck you.” He whispered in Craig’s ear, pressing his mouth to the side of his throat. “You look so good and so sweet, but I know you’re not.” He pressed his thumb to Craig’s lower lip, he took it into his mouth. It was so much, it was too much and he wanted it so badly. 

He picked him up and tossed him on the bed, crawling over him. They kissed like their were starving for something. Like this is what he needed, this was all he needed. He put his hands on Kyle’s shoulders for leverage, wrapping his legs around his waist. He rolled his skinny hips to his needily, he wanted more, he had to feel more. He could feel his erection pressing against him and it was the anticipation, it was the knowing of what was to come that drove him mad with needy want. Kyle’s hands were under his tee shirt and he was stroking over his bony chest. His body wasn’t impressive, he knew this. He was skinny and underdeveloped. He knew he was no great beauty. But he also knew that sometimes it’s your enthusiasm that makes you attractive in the moment. In that moment with this beautiful man, he must have been the most attractive person he had ever met. He was rolling his hips against him like he was dying. All he wanted to was to get dicked down by this stranger. This person he had maybe said twenty words to in the entire day they had spent together. He reached for Kyle’s tee shirt and pulled it off his toned frame. He had muscles like a man, his body was a man’s body. He ran his hands over his pecs and down to his abs. He felt them flex under his fingertips and it made him sigh softly with desire. He had never felt this kind of lust before. This pure want before all this. It made his sharp mind cloudy and unfocused. 

Kyle pulled off his State Champs tee shirt and tossed it over the bed. He kissed over his bony shoulders, his jutting collarbones, sucking and biting bruises into his smooth tan skin in his wake. He would wear these marks with pride, for one night, he belonged to Kyle, his first one night stand. It should have made him feel cheap, but it didn’t. He felt free in a way he never had. He always ran the numbers, weighed the odds. He chose the most responsible outcome. This was for him, this was his. His freeing, selfish decision. That he went home with a man he barely knew, he was letting him clutch his bony hips and press himself between his legs.

“You feel so good.” He whimpered to Kyle, digging his nails into his bare back. “I need you to fuck me.” He threw his head back into the pillow, exposing his throat. Kyle took the opportunity to sink his teeth into the side, leaving a nice mottled purple bruise. He felt him pulling his shorts down over his sharp hip bones, leaving him nude in front of him. If he had known him better, he would have been more self conscious. He would have tried to push his legs together and hid himself from him. But since he was only going to see him tonight, he would spread them wantonly. He didn’t care what this man thought of him, he would never see him again after tonight.

“You’re so beautiful.” He was kissing down his chest, taking a brown nipple into his mouth. It caused him to moan softly and pull at his gelled red hair. That seemed to spur him on, kissing down to the high point of his rib cage, letting his teeth slightly graze over his skin. He kissed down to his flat stomach and sucked a bruise on his hip. He gave his hair another tug and he started to kiss back up his body, all the way to his lips, which he didn’t hesitate to deepen. Kyle tugged off his own basketball shorts and he saw his cock bounce free. He was cut and thick and bigger than Tweek, which to be fair, was the only dick he had ever seen outside of his own. He was intimidated for a moment and he was hungry for it. He felt himself trying to rub himself against him again. 

“Patience baby, I haven’t even prepped you yet.” He murmured against the side of his throat. He used lube and soft words and he taking him apart him so gently. It was shockingly soft for all the dry humping and frank words they had just used. He felt himself trying to push down on Kyle’s fingers, he felt perfect, stretching him so good. He put his skinny legs over his toned shoulders and pushed in gently, as if not to startle him, even if that’s all that he wanted. He just wanted Kyle to bottom out in him. He thrusted forward, slowly, letting him adjust to having him inside of him. Kyle knew exactly what to do, he knew exactly what rhythm would make Craig writhe and squeak in his bed. What would make him whimper and moan. It was the best thing he had felt, he clutched at his back with his nails, leaving pink marks in his freckled skin.

“You feel so good baby.” Kyle groaned pulling his skinny frame closer. His rhythm was steady and fast and harder and deeper. God, he would never forget this moment, he wanted to brand Kyle’s mark into his skin.

“Never stop, I want you inside forever.” He whimpered out. He was never someone who said much, he said what he meant and otherwise kept quiet. He never talked during sex, but he was so ready to let go, he wanted to tell Kyle everything he wanted. He would even let him take him with the lights on, he would go wild. Well, as wild as Craig Tucker got.

Kyle let him come first, tugging at him until he moaned his name. The headboard was hitting the wall, the bed frame was squeaking. If his brother didn’t know what was going on, he surely did now. Kyle grasped his hips and lifted him up as thrusted into him, three really good deep thrusts and he was coming. His name on Kyle’s lips, Kyle’s face buried in the junction between his bruised throat and shoulder. He lifted a shaking hand and touched Kyle’s toned back gently, stroking over the scratched up skin.

“Holy fuck.” Kyle looked over at him and they both let out a sort of breathless laugh. “That was fucking amazing.” He pressed a kiss to the side of Craig’s throat and nuzzled at him with his nose. Craig was proud, he felt like he could do anything. He made a man that looked like that, feel like this. Skinny, inexperienced, quiet Craig Tucker made this toned, amazing man who looked like the perfect human specimen feel like this. He let Kyle gather him in his arms and slept curled around him. This was rare for him, he never slept well in a bed that wasn’t his. But for some reason, he just felt at peace with the world right now. Every worry, every doubt, even every other thought had been fucked right out of him. His mind was a blank, fuzzy place and it was peaceful

The next morning when he woke up, he reached for Kyle and he was gone. He also looked for his clothes, which were gone as well. He pulled on a tee shirt of Kyle’s, did they all have the sleeves cut off? He pulled on a pair of basketball shorts as well. He had to roll the waist over a few times to make them fit. He came down the stairs to a kitchen that looked like something out of one of those cooking shows his mom liked to watch on the weekend. Kyle was sitting at a long mahogany table, his brother beside him playing a game on his nintendo switch, not even bothering to look up at him.

“Hey doll, come have some breakfast.” It looked like a spread from the hotel. Fruit and bagels and pancakes and yogurt and anything else he could have wanted. Their housekeeper was a sour faced woman who paid little attention to him. He put some fruit and pancakes on his plate and drizzled them with honey. He sat next to Kyle who put a hand on his skinny thigh, stroking it up and down.

“Seeing you in my clothes is making me hard.” He learned in so his mouth was close to his ear. He could feel his cheeks heating up, but he wasn’t opposed to another round. “I might need to fuck you into the mattress again.” The way he looked at him. No one had ever looked at him like that. Tweek clearly loved him, there was no doubt that he loved him. That he was very attracted to him. But Kyle, he looked like he wanted to eat him alive. He wanted to tie him to the bed and never let him go. He looked at him like he was dying and Craig was the cure. It made every part of him heat up and he wanted to jump him at the table. He let Kyle lead him back up that winding staircase, back into that bedroom. Kyle’s hands were on his hips, leading down to towards his ass, which he gave a good squeeze.

“I want to ride you this time.” He looked up at Kyle with his giant doe eyes. Kyle laid back on the bed and pulled Craig on top of him. He ran his soft tan hands over his bare chest, down to his abs, he loved his abs, he had never felt abs like that in his life. He rolled his skinny hips down on his, he was so big, it was thrilling and it intimidated him. He had never felt this pure physical want before. He loved Tweek and their intimate moments were sweet and loving and focused on being close to each other. Even at the end, where everything felt more friendly than anything else, their sex was still so loving. This was pure physical want. He wanted to get off, he wanted to get this gorgeous man off. He pulled down Kyle’s shorts and climbed onto his hips, he could feel him getting hard again underneath him. He was still wet and open from last night, he didn’t have to be prepped. He lowered himself on him slowly, trying to find his bearings.

“You’re doing so good baby.” Kyle’s hands were on his bony hips, squeezing them gently. Bruises upon bruises, he had left his mark on him. He started rolling his hips slowly, shyly almost before finding his rhythm. Once he had it down, he was bouncing on him, harder and faster than he had ever rode anyone before. The lust took over, clouding his mind and his senses. Telling him that maybe going home with a man he had only known for a few hours wasn’t the most practical idea. The logical side of him knew he should have gone home after the beach yesterday and had a quiet night at home with his parents. This free side of him, wanted to ride this man until he couldn’t anymore. 

“You’re so big.” He moaned softly, tossing his head back. Kyle put his big hands on his waist and stroked him up and down. His big hands over his soft bruised tan skin, pulled him closer, his mouth on his shoulder. He felt Kyle’s hands going lower, stroking him until he came all over his stomach, hot and wet. As he was coming down from his own orgasm, he kept moving his hips for Kyle, milking him, trying to get him off too. He couldn’t be selfish, he had to be mindful. Kyle clutched at his hips as he came, filling him up. He collapsed onto him, he was exhausted. 

“Do you mind if I take a little nap?” He murmured against Kyle’s chest. He could feel him stroking his dark hair, threading his fingers through it. He would stroke the back of his elf ears, making him want to purr. He didn’t know that was one of his buttons, but apparently it was. Everything this man did was a button, some pleasure button he wanted to press over and over again. He curled up on his solid warm frame and let him put a toned arm around his waist.

“You can stay as long as you like kitten.” He murmured in his deep jersey accent. “You can stay forever, I wouldn’t mind.” He looked up at him for a moment, into his green eyes. He couldn’t get too attached, this was a vacation fling. He would be leaving for Princeton in August, onto the ivy covered university of his dreams. Nothing to tether him, nothing to hold him back. 

He woke up alone again. Kyle was nowhere to be seen and he didn’t hear the shower on. He reached for him, finding an empty space. He sat up and stretched, feeling soreness cradled in his lower back. It was an eventful twenty four hours. He put his phone on one of the chargers Kyle had laying around and decided that taking a shower was the best first course of action. The water was hot and it was relaxing, he let it beat down on his sore muscles. He washed away the filminess of sleep and sweat and other bodily fluids. He wrapped himself in a big green towel and poked around in the vanity until he found a drawer with a bunch of spare toothbrushes. It took everything in him not to ask how many people had come before. How many overnight guests did this man have? He had already told himself that was none of his business, he wasn’t going to start anything new, he wouldn’t allow himself to get attached to a summer fling.

When he came out of the bathroom, the sheets were off the bed, his clothes were folded neatly on Kyle’s desk chair, washed and fluffed up with fabric softener. It was like laundry magic, but he was too practical to know there was no such thing. It was more than likely that it was the sour faced housekeeper. After he dressed, he looked at Kyle’s bookshelves. He was under the illusion that he was a Jersey meathead. He was toned and handsome and didn’t care much about anything else. He had at least as many books as he did, he had some titles he had at home. He looked at trophies lining the top of Kyle’s desk, not all of them were athletic, he saw a few for debate. He had a photo of him in his cap and gown from graduation, he had the same honors cords as he did. Kyle wasn’t what he thought he was, he had misjudged him. He was going by his own misconceptions of him, rather than what he knew to be true. 

He picked up a Donna Tartt novel and started the first chapter while he waited for Kyle to come home. He loved Donna Tartt, she was his favourite author and this could easily entertain him for a while. He was sitting in Kyle’s desk chair when the housekeeper came back with new clean sheets. She ignored him as she went about her work and he gave her some space. He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his book on them. He looked up when he saw the door open. Kyle came in wearing gym sort of clothes, another tee shirt with the sleeves cut off and basketball shorts. He looked sweaty in the best way possible and he wiped his brow off with the back of his hand. Craig watched him pull his tee shirt off and he sort of flexed. He knew he was putting on a show for him and he was playing right into it.

“I'm going to take a shower kitten and then I’ll take you home.” He looked at his thin frame so appreciatively, Craig didn’t understand this. There were so many things in this world he understood perfectly. Physics equations and how to conjugate french verbs. Playing classical music on the viola, the parts in the Neck Deep songs he felt deep in his soul and they made him close his eyes when he listened to them. Where he touched Tweek that made him do that little growl and attack his neck with kisses. How to calm down Clyde when he was getting too emotional. But this was all lost on him. He dated one boy for eight years and while Tweek was easy to read, this was all foreign and new. Why would this man want him? Why would he want him this badly? They were clearly two very different people. He didn’t believe that people were out of each other’s league or this one was too good for that one. It was just, they were so different and Kyle looked like a man and he felt so gangly and awkward. He just didn’t understand why this man was so attracted to him.

“So are you going to let me take you out soon?” Kyle was driving him back to the vacation house. “I can introduce you to my friends, have some fun.” They parked in the driveway and he could see his parents watching them. It wasn’t like he didn’t text them to tell them he met a friend and he wanted to spend some time with him. His parents trusted him, he had long outgrown the trouble making and disruptive behaviour. It was just so much easier to just do what you’re supposed to do. The Tuckers had a strange relationship with their children, they oscillated wildly between treating them as adults, having frank conversations about what was best for the family and how to go about it. To giving them absurdly early curfews, even in high school. Their responsibilities laid within academics and their activities and they weren’t expected to do much else. Craig was a wild thing when he was a kid, getting into trouble and mouthing off, starting fights. He grew out of it by the sixth grade and settled into the person he was today. Quiet, reserved, studious. 

He wasn’t always content though. He yearned and dreamed of something more. Of ivy coated lecture halls and seeing the world. The first day of high school he walked in with Token and they made a pact, ivy league or bust basically. He worked hard and studied, gave up things. Gave up time with friends and Tweek. Missed out on parties and games. Went without sleep, volunteered and did homework until all hours of the night. He did it all for this. For Princeton and the grad school that would come after. He would work for Nasa someday, that was his dream. He had space maps and would play spaceman. He wouldn’t give that up and this was going to be an opportunity. Everything he did from the 9th grade on what about opportunities and what made you special. What made someone want to invest their time in you. This was his dream, it was so close he could taste it. 

So what made this handsome man want to invest his time in him? What made he decide that a one night stand wasn’t enough? What made him special to this person who was more than just a handsome face? He was a surprise and a wonderful one at that. He was clever and he liked the same books he did. He wanted to take him out and show him off to his friends. He told himself that this wasn’t what he wanted. No one could distract him from the next step, the next goal. But being wanted felt good. This wasn’t a selfish thing to say, it was human nature to like being wanted. To crave that, he wanted to wear it like a cloak. This handsome, stupid handsome in fact, tall, toned amazing looking boy with a brain wanted him. Craig Tucker with his metal braces and round freckled cheeks. He was too gangly and too awkward. But this man wanted him, fucked him like his life depended on it, craved his touch. It felt like heaven.

“Ok, I’ll go out with you.” He took Kyle’s phone and put his number in it. “Just text me so I have yours as well.” He felt Kyle’s hand purposely brush his as he handed his phone back. He let Kyle walk him to the door like a gentleman, like they didn’t just spend the last day fucking on and off. It was surreal moment, he would have laughed if Kyle didn’t kiss him like that, like he was the most important person on earth. It was only them, no one else mattered. He closed his eyes and he melted against him, his skinny arms around the back of his neck, pulling himself close. 

“I’ll text you tomorrow baby.” He put his hands on his hips and squeezed them before letting him go inside. He would have an entirely ordinary night. He would listen to the Front Bottoms record that made everything feel sunny and peachy and just better. The world was better when it was playing. He went to bed early that night, he hadn’t gotten much sleep the past few nights. When he woke up the next morning, he had a message from Kyle. He didn’t play games, he didn’t wait three days. He just texted him and said he wanted to take him out that night. His friend’s parents owned a nice little mexican restaurant, they could get the best table in the house. Then he would take him to a house party his friend Kenny was throwing. He made plans and they didn’t take a half hour to decide where to eat, it was all so simple. 

He used to second guess himself all the time. He may have said he wanted things to be plain and boring, simple. But even then, he wondered if this was the right choice, was this the right answer? Kyle didn’t seem to do that. He knew this is what he wanted. He wanted to take Craig out. He wanted him to meet his friends. He knew what the right answer was, he had done the data, he had ran the numbers. Just like Craig did now, he would come up with the best answer for what he needed at the time being. Kyle was confident, he knew exactly what he wanted. He wanted him and that was enough. He wished he was that confident.

He picked him up, on time, charmed his parents. They loved Tweek, they trusted Tweek. But for all of Tweek’s wonderful traits and there were many, he wasn’t charming. He was sweet and kind and loved him so much. But he was anxious, had trouble making eye contact and didn’t necessarily like to socialise much. Kyle came in, introduced himself to his parents. He made good small talk, recommended some restaurants to them. Put his arm around him so smoothly, his parents didn’t even seem to notice. He waited until they were in the car to lean over and kiss him on the spot right under his ear that made him sigh softly.

“You look so good baby.” He murmured against his skin. “My friends are going to be so jealous when they see you.” He knew that wasn’t exactly true, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want it to be. He was in a car with a beautiful man driving to a sweet little mexican restaurant. He could order whatever he liked and everything about this night made him feel important. He was being taken care of. He was used to teenage dates with Tweek, they saw movies and they went to the diner for milkshakes and cheese fries. They played video games and made out between classes. They were teenagers with minimal income and endless free time. 

“You can get whatever you want baby.” Kyle was looking over the menu too. He had long thick fingers, two were outfitted with posh gold rings and he was running his fingers over the menu, stopping on the things he was considering. He looked like what he thought an adult would look like when he was a kid. A fancy older person with a rolex gold watch and a gold star of david around his neck. An expensive looking button down shirt half unbuttoned showing off a toned chest. He smelled like expensive cologne, he seemed too worldly for him. He awkwardly adjusted the hem of his long sleeve black and white striped shirt and wondered if he looked like a mime. 

It wasn’t like he was normally this self conscious, he never thought of himself as an ugly person. He never thought of himself as much of anything. He didn’t care how he looked. He was clean and had good hygiene and wore clean clothes that generally matched. What more did he need? Tweek always told him how beautiful he was, he liked his big eyes and his soft dark hair. He only had one person to please, they seemed very pleased. Now he was alone in the world and he had to start over. Find a new boy to please. This one seemed pleased too, but it was different. Tweek had years to get used to him, his smell and the feel of his skin, just as he had gotten used to him. He wasn’t used to Kyle yet, he was new and shiny and he wanted to touch him all the time. He reached over and put his hand on Kyle’s bicep and gently squeezed and rested his head against his shoulder.

“What are you going to order kitten?” He could feel Kyle’s big hand stroking over his spine, going over the little divots over his shirt. “You can even get a margarita, my boy’s parents will hook us up.” He thought he could due with a margarita, maybe if he got some alcohol in him, he would loosen up a bit. 

“I could drink a peach margarita.” He looked up at him with his huge dark eyes. “I could also eat anything with queso. Maybe some of these vegetable quesadillas.” He gently nudged him with his bony elbow, flirting. He had so few moves. Teasing touches, looking at a boy through his lashes. That was it. He couldn’t do coy tones, they never sounded right in his monotone nasal voice. This is what he had and he hoped it enough for this stupid handsome boy.

“Alright baby, I’ll get the waiter.” He motioned for the waiter and his face lit up in a smile when he saw him approach. Their waiter was tall and built like Kyle, with the same gelled sort of hair, but it was dark. He had a gold cross on a chain around his neck and the same sort of rings on his fingers.

“Yo bro, what can I do you for?” His name tag said David on it and this must have been the friend that could hook them up. “You want a margarita to start?” He leaned in like they were all sharing a big secret. Which they were, because he was fairly certain none of them were over 21.

“Yeah dude, I’ll go traditional and my date will have peach.” David nodded. “I’ll also have the steak fajitas and he’ll have the veggie quesadillas, also some queso and chips.” He ordered for the two of them and it was very smooth, it felt very natural. There was something about being with someone who wrapped luxury around them like a fine cloak. That they barely checked the their bill, didn’t think twice about what he wanted. When he was with Tweek, they saved every penny they got, they were never mistaken for people who could have whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. 

He was on his second margarita and he was feeling it. It made him feel flushed and relaxed. He was running the pads of his fingers over Kyle’s bicep, he was leaned into his side. David’s parents came out to greet him and make small talk, they knew him and they loved his parents. It felt very smoozy, like something he would see his parents do. 

“You’re very mature for your age.” He told him as they left the restaurant and headed over to the party. “You know how to talk to adults.” He looked over at him with his dark eyes and they were weighing what they saw. They were taking in this very adult person who was at least around his age. He told himself he didn’t want to get involved with anyone else, this was a summer fling. Nothing more, just someone to waste time with this summer. No one was going to distract him from his ivy league dream. If someone would have, it would have been Tweek right? He loved him, they were in love. But at the end, they felt more like friends and when he went to make the decision on where to go, he hated to admit this, but he put Tweek in the same category as his other best friends. He cared about them and he would miss them, but he couldn’t base his decisions around them. He found himself starting to see Kyle as something that wasn’t just a one night stand, he wasn’t quite a summer fling or a friend. He was in this weird category all his own.

Maybe his brain had gone lust addled and he wasn’t thinking clearly. He was still high from expensive Mexican food and a good dicking down. From a boy who could promise him so many things and for once in his life, he kinda wanted to just to be young and stupid. He wanted to make irrational decisions based on emotions. 

That was his compromise. He would spend this summer in a lust clouded, loved up haze of good sex and teenage summer romance. Someone to spend his time with and distract from the voices in his head that said be more, do more, don’t rest, study, be smarter. You could be reading ahead for college or spending your time with internship and a volunteer program. It wasn’t like he didn’t want that. But he parents were so excited about this. Seeing their overworked and over extended children doing something for themselves. Tricia wasn’t spending every moment getting into shape for cross country and Craig wasn’t studying himself into a nervous breakdown.

He was in a nice car, with a handsome boy. He was going to a party and he was going to let loose. He was going to have fun. He let Kyle put his strong arm around his waist and pull him closer. He heard the thumping base of king princess before he opened the door. The air smelled like sticky sweet alcohol and cologne and the floral tang of girls’ perfume. He had a red plastic solo cup of vodka and cherry soda, sweet with a bitter edge.

“This is my bro Kenny.” Kyle introduced him to a tall, handsome gap toothed blond. “And this is my best bro Stan.” Stan was the opposite of what you expected. He was tall and toned, but he had a semi not quite goth style, but leaning that way. “When he’s depressed, he goes by Raven.” Kyle punched him in the shoulder and they both laughed like the apparent inside joke it was. 

“This is Craig, we met at the record shop on the boardwalk.” He had his arm around Craig’s thin waist. “He’s cool.” He told them as Craig wrapped his skinny arms around the back of his neck. He was still friendly and loose from the alcohol and flushed from the heat of the party. He looked over at Kyle’s friends and they were so different from him, but he could tell they were this tight knit group and it made him wish his own friends were there. He wondered what they would think if they saw him now. Stoic, quiet Craig Tucker, hanging all over this tall, jersey shore lite man. He didn’t feel like himself right now and honestly, he liked it that way. Being here was like being able to be anything he wanted to be. Craig was awkward and wasn’t great at eye contact and social conduct. This Craig was desirable and friendly and could talk to people, even if he didn’t know them. He was going to try at least. 

“Its very nice to meet you.” He told them both solemnly. Kenny gave him a charming sort of smile and Stan shook his soft tan hand. He spent the night learning who Kyle was as a person, which was the opposite of what this was all supposed to be. He was supposed to be a one night thing, there and gone. The tool for helping him get over Tweek and his fear of the unknown. But as he watched Kyle with his friends, how warm and open he was. He was their leader, the problem solver. He was stubborn and tough and smart. He could talk about books and music and movies so easily. He wanted to ask him where he was going next year and he wanted to ask him about everything. His family and his beliefs and everything else that made you a person. But he was afraid to.

That was his default setting. He was afraid. He was overly cautious and he overthought things. He liked things plain and boring. He liked things to be labeled and they were all in neat little boxes. This was not in a neat little box. It was new and it was exciting. It made him feel stronger and braver. Kyle made him feel beautiful in a way he had never felt before. He looked over at him with his huge dark eyes and felt Kyle’s green eyes on him, they he looked at him. He looked at him like he was the only person in this room, his focus on him. He felt his big hand on his thigh, squeezing. He never thought he would be the sort of person who wanted this. He never defined himself by Tweek, even if everyone else did. They were TweekandCraig, but they knew they were Tweek and Craig. Two separate people who happened to be together. He didn’t need Tweek to make him who he was, he was Craig, he would always be Craig. It didn’t matter if Tweek didn’t like his blue cardigan or chullo hat, he was going to wear them. Tweek didn’t need to tell him he was beautiful. He knew he had some very pleasing features and some that needed work, like anyone else. He kept his wits about him, he thought with his brain rather than any other part of him.

That was supposed to be his thing at least. He was his own person and no one was going to change that about him. Maybe Kyle didn’t want to change that about, maybe he didn’t want to change anything about him because he didn’t know him that well. He just knew what he wanted him to know. The Craig that wanted to be dicked down on the first meeting and was impressed by a free meal. He wondered if Kyle would look at him like this if he knew the real Craig. The monotone, socially awkward one. It's the universal question, why they like me if they knew the real me?

“I can feel you thinking.” Kyle looked down at him. “I can see your wheels turning in that beautiful head of yours.” He rested his forehead on Craig’s and looked into his eyes. He couldn't tell him that he was worried he wouldn’t like the real Craig or that he worried that when the summer was over and they were memories to each other, that he would regret this. Or that he was scared that this fall would break him because this was his dream and what if he wasn’t good enough or smart enough. His fear would eat him alive and leave him with nothing to show for this.

“Im just quiet.” He nipped at his jawline gently. Distracting, he could be good at that when he wanted to be. He kinda wanted to go back to Kyle’s now and let him fuck him into the mattress. Forget all this for a while. “Let's go back to your place.” He murmured against his jawline. 

That’s what they did. They went back to Kyle’s and he tossed him on the bed like he weighed nothing. He thought he wanted a good hard fuck to get out of his head, but they took their time. Kyle kissed over every inch of his smooth tan skin. He nipped at his collarbone and down his bony chest. He kissed the high points of his rib cage and down to his sharp little hip bones. He took his time taking him apart, inch by inch, piece of clothing by piece of clothing. He pushed in so gently and he took him so gently and sweetly and it was perfect. He laid in Kyle’s arms that night and he could feel him press a kiss to his shoulder and the top of his spine. He slept well that night and he never really slept well in anyone else’s bed. But that night, he slept so deeply and peacefully.

It was fourth of July and he was seeing the fireworks with Kyle and his friends. A cooler full of stolen liquor and ice cream bars. He was nestled in Kyle’s side, his big hand stroking over his boney side. His big dark eyes on the sky, the fireworks reflecting off the water. It was the most quintessential summer experience. Watching fireworks on the beach, surrounded by new friends. Trish was seated next to Kyle’s brother Ike and he was showing her some game on his nintendo switch. He actually wanted to spend time with her lately, he knew this summer was it until Thanksgiving. They didn’t always get along, they argued more than agreed. But he loved her. He loved how fierce and strong she was, she didn’t need him around to defend her or rely on him for a social life. She had more friends than he did, she had already been on dates and boys liked her. She gave Tweek the talk before taking him out on real dates in later middle school. She never needed that from him, she had always been tougher than he was. He was going to miss that.

Kyle’s arm around him was warm and solid, pulling him into his side. He never cared much about this before, fourth of july. Any holiday that wasn’t during a school year and could give them a free day, didn’t matter. He had no memories tied to the day and he knew he was free to make new ones. He looked up at Kyle, who looked so content in that moment. That this was enough. It was so simple. Hanging out with friends while drinking liquor and soda out of a red plastic solo cup. A boy tucked into his side, who looked at him in awe. He appreciated that. He complicated things for himself half the time, he over thought and he undervalued his own opinion. He was starting to appreciate lots of things about Kyle.

This was supposed to be simple, a boy to have fun with and then he would leave him for Princeton. Nothing to overcomplicate things. He wasn’t going to ask Kyle anything about himself, just the barest minimum. Now here he was, nestled under his arm and he wanted to know everything all of a sudden. He wanted to ask him everything and spend all his time learning every little thing there was to learn about Kyle Broflovski. 

“You want to spend the night baby?” He was helping Craig fold up the blanket and take the trash to the recycling and the trash can. He reached for Kyle’s hand as they walked to his car. “I can drop your sister off.” He could see Trish and Ike still deep in conversation about going out for sports next year at their respective schools. Trish had always ran cross country and done track and field and Ike played ice hockey. They had a lot in common and had started to strike up their own friendship. This would be so easy, it would be so easy to fall for him. His parents like him, his sister befriend his brother, it would be so easy to be with him. 

“You know I do.” He had started spending more and more time over there and he found this place in his life. He met his parents and had gotten friendly with his friends. He liked how easy Kenny was to talk to and Stan liked music as much as he did. People he barely knew weaving themselves in the fabric of his life. How people became close to you sometimes without meaning to. 

“Tell me something about yourself.” He was laying on Kyle’s chest, stroking over the little hairs there. “I know Ive been a little closed off, but I want to know more.” He looked into his green eyes and he looked amused. Everything Craig did was endearing and sweet and he was so awkward. He was becoming too fond of him, he loved his little tourist flings, but this one was different. This one with their big round eyes and their soft tanned skin. He was different.

“I graduated top of my class, I was the valedictorian at my graduation. People think I'm stupid, but that’s fine, rather them underestimate me and be pleasantly surprised than the opposite.” He reached up and stroked over Craig’s soft dark hair. “I was the captain of the basketball team and captain of the debate team. Both of these things helped me learn how to keep my temper. When I was a kid, I had a terrible temper. It's gotten better over time.” He trailed off, making Craig wonder how much better it really was. 

“You were supposed to be a one night stand.” Craig explained softly. He heard Kyle chuckled softly. His hands were resting on the small of his back, stroking over the soft tan skin. “Now I can’t imagine my summer without you.” He admitted. It was true, he didn’t want to admit it, but it was true. Kyle made this summer. He forced him out of his comfort zone and made it worth doing so. He was becoming this unmovable force in his life and in a few weeks, he would be gone. He would be starting over alone, meeting new people and everything would be new. That was his weak point. He hated the unknown. He liked his neat little boxes and this was fucking with his head. 

“You were supposed to be my tourist fling, but one look into those eyes and I was done.” Kyle tipped his chin up so he could look into those giant eyes. “We’re both headed off to different places this fall, so let's enjoy the time we have now.” Craig tucked himself under Kyle’s chin and nestled into his chest. He was always making plans for tomorrow and sometimes he forget about today. Kyle seemed to live in the moment and he was too busy looking to the future. Maybe this is exactly what he needed. 

Kyle was laying on his bed at the vacation home while he played his viola for him. He was rusty in a way he wasn’t used to. He used to practise for hours a night, he was first chair back in the orchestra program at his high school. He didn’t have to be the best at this anymore. The letters of recommendation were all sent in and as he much as he loved the viola, science was his real passion. He wasn’t going to major in music, NASA didn’t need musicians. But it was a hobby, it was something that made him stand out. Everyone wanted to play the trumpet or the percussion, no one picked the viola. A violin that sounded just a little sadder. That was him, he was just a little more melancholy than his classmates.

“You play so beautifully and you look so beautiful playing.” Kyle watched him play Märchenbilder, Op. 113 by Schumman, it had this dreamy fairy tale quality to it and he didn’t have the heart to tell him it actually worked best if he had a piano accompanist. Tweek used to do that for him and he had actually competed in music competitions with it for the school. He had shiny blue ribbons at home for his effort. 

“This is one of my favourite pieces. Also Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev, it's so beautiful. The best version is arranged by Vadim Borisovsky. It makes me feel things when I listen to it.” He told him. He had so many more he loved to play and he could honestly talk about it all day. He rarely played for anyone, only Tweek and Lola, his usual competition partner. Kyle didn’t look bored or like he would rather change the subject. He liked listening to Craig talk about the things that were important. The timber of his voice and how quiet he was. He was someone who said very little, he didn’t like to fill up space with words that meant nothing. When he spoke, it was important and he had to lean in to hear him sometimes. He reached for his thin waist and pulled him close for a moment.

“Play me something else beautiful.” He leaned back against Craig’s pillow that smelled like his hair and watched him close his dark eyes as he played the opening bars of Romeo and Juliet. Star crossed lovers whose fates were trying to pull them apart. It certainly wasn’t hitting a nerve or anything. He played for Kyle until it started to grow dim in the room and the tips of his fingers were growing calloused. He gently placed his viola in its case and made sure all the music was put back in it’s folder. Then he crawled on the bed and laid next to Kyle. It was quiet, gentle. One of those fragile moments where if you breathed too loud, it would shatter the moment. He felt Kyle’s arms around his thin waist and he buried his face between his shoulder blades. The setting sun casting the room in a peachy sort of glow. He never wanted this moment to end.

“I really like you kitten.” Kyle murmured against his back. He turned gently in his arms and pressed his forehead to Kyle’s. He traced his slim finger over his groomed eyebrows and the curve of his cheek bones. He touched the corners of Kyle’s mouth, slightly upturned in a smile. He kissed his fingertips gently and pulled him closer to his body. This would be the moment they normally kissing each other like they were dying. It always lead to sex and at point Craig thought that was all they had in common. Now, all he wanted to do was find out more about Kyle. Spend quiet time with him. Watch movies and talk about music and art and life. Kyle questioned the world around him and he was interested in philosophy and he was so smart and looked so fucking stupid and he didn’t understand this walking contradiction of a man. Who was Kyle Broflovski and why did he look like Pauly D, but have a brain that rivaled Wendy Testaburger, the smartest person he knew. It killed him and it made him want to poke below the surface and figure out who this person is. He had so little time and he was so invested. There was only two ways this could end up, tragedy or a fond memory.

He was sitting at the bay window talking to Token over facetime about college around the corner.

“Nichole and I broke up.” Token told him quietly during a lull in the conversation. “She’s going to be at USC, I'm going to be at Dartmouth, it wasn’t going to work.” He shrugged like that was the way the universe worked. Sometimes you loved someone and sometimes it didn’t work. You had to accept it.

“You two don’t think you could have made it work?” He put down the cup of tea he was sipping. “You two were together so long.” He thought about Tweek and how they couldn’t make it work either. Theirs was a different ball game though. They had grown too friendly with each other. It felt like two friends who enjoyed hanging out and having sex. He loved Tweek, but after a while, he didn’t know if he was in love with him.

“No dude. I mean, Nichole is going to be in LA and Im across the country. I'm not going to make her sit around in a dorm room waiting for my call and missing out on things. Only see each other at breaks. She deserves to meet people and have fun. Have new experiences you know?” He watched him pick up a picture of a Nichole in a frame on his desk and put it down. Them at prom, they looked happy. “I want things to end on a high note and not resentment.” He pointed out.

“Yeah I know, Tweek and I ended as friends too. “ He agreed softly. He wondered if he should tell him about Kyle. “But, I met this boy this summer and I don't think we’ll be in the same place next year.” He trailed off quietly.

“Does it matter? Just enjoy the summer fling and by the fall, you’ll be ready to totally focus on school.” Token pointed out. “Who cares what the end of the summer brings.” He added. He was right, he was always right. Token had this uncanny ability to make decisions that always turned out for the best. He wished he was more like him. He did his best to think things through rationally, but there was still that tiny part of him that let his heart lead in the direction his brain may not have.

“I know, I just, I was with Tweek for so long and this is all new.” He thought about Kyle and how different from Tweek he was, how easily he made decisions and he knew exactly what he wanted. He wasn’t anxious and he didn’t need reassurance. He was clever and he was questioned the world around him. He was physical, he was strong. He was very attracted to him in a way he had never been attracted to anyone before. He made his cheeks flush and his skin feel hot and tight. He found himself thinking about him constantly, thinking about his tanned skin and his smell. 

“Thats ok dude, you’re allowed to want to move on. Just have some fun with it.” Token wasn’t wrong. He could just live in the moment, be with this stupid handsome, clever jersey lunkheaded boy. The rest of the summer was theirs and once fall comes, he knew he would be overworked and overstressed. That was his way, it had always been his way since he realized, hey, school is super important and maybe spend more time studying and less time getting involved with stupid nonsense shit.

It was August and school was around the corner and he would be leaving this place. He looked up at Kyle through his lashes as he took him in his mouth. He was kneeling in front of him, Kyle’s hands in his hair. He was very good at this, he knew this was one of his special talents. His tongue running along the fat vein on the underside of his cock as he took him in deeper. He knew he wasn’t putting this on any application in the special skills section.

“You’re so good at this baby.” He alternated between tugging gently at his dark hair and threading it through softly. He just hummed softly around his dick and he heard Kyle groan. He tapped him on the shoulder, he was ready, so close to cumming.

“Are you ready baby doll?” He moaned before finishing himself off with his hand. Craig looked at him with his big doe eyes and closed them at just the right moment, before being hit in the face with Kyle’s cum. It made him feel something in the pit of his stomach, this thrill of something so degrading, but so intimate. It made his skin heat up.

“Come up here kitten, I'm going to clean you off.” Kyle patted the bed beside of him and got him a warm washcloth. He wiped over his skin with such care, he kissed the top of his head. He nestled into Kyle’s side and he wondered how he got here. How he went from a one night stand to this. Spending nights over this contradiction of a boy’s house, letting him fuck him almost every night. That his body craved him, it hummed under his skin and he felt is flowing through his veins like warm honey. He was covered in his marks, bruises on his shoulders, throat, collar bones. Kyle had scratches up and down his back, he would run his slim finger over them. He was marked, he was his. He wondered if he would ever want someone like this. Would he crave someone’s touch and when he went without him, it made him feel almost itchy with want. He reached over and ran his fingers over Kyle’s jawline and over his cheekbone.

“Im going to miss you baby boy.” He murmured in his dark hair. He felt him nuzzle into the side of his throat, tracing over one of his marks with his lips. “I didn’t think you’d ever open up to me.” He felt his lips on his skin, vibrating with his words. The world was such an unexpected place. He was a person who always weighed the odds, came out with the most logical outcome. He didn’t believe in fate, or soulmates or the world has this bigger plan for you. That you made your own luck, that you knew what you needed, you can’t rely on anything else. This person, this tanned skin, gelled hair muscle headed, smart, handsome person barrelled into his life and made him break all his rules. That he was going to be gone in two weeks, he was going to move into his dorm room and attended all the orientation activities. He was going to get a degree from an ivy league school and go onto grad school and then into a field of importance. He was sure of all this.

But he had tethers now. He made a connection with a boy he was probably never going to see again. That he had just gotten out of a life changing, long term relationship with his best friend and he went from one boy who loved him to another boy who yearned for him. He never stopped past go, he didn’t collect $200. He was Craig Tucker, permanently attached, when he was sure he wasn’t that person before all this. He was someone who held people at arm’s length, he didn’t give into feelings, he was ruled by logic. He wasn’t rule by logic this summer, he allowed himself to give into feelings and wants. It was confusing, he didn’t know what to do with all these feelings. He was overwhelmed by it and that scared him. 

“Im going to miss you too Kyley B.” He teased him gently. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to his bare chest. But Token was right about one thing, this was the summer and he had two weeks to think of what to do next. He had to enjoy in the moment, which he knew he was never really that great at either. He was trying, this was his chance to leave behind all his bad habits in South Park and be someone else. Someone who could take things as they came and didn’t over analyze every little thing. He wrapped his skinny arms around Kyle and squeezed gently. He would worry about the rest later.

Goodbyes were never easy. They were messy and emotional and the feelings of hurt would always linger. He wanted to say he was very civilized saying goodbye to Kyle. That he didn’t cry and it was soft and sweet like in the movies. But it wasn’t. It was messy and human. He cried and he tugged at the front of Kyle’s shirt, wet with tears.

“Don’t cry beautiful.” He wiped at his tears with his thumbs. “We still have a few hours left, we can do anything you like.” He was torn between wanting one more good fuck with him and doing something sappy, like going back to that record store they first met at. Kyle’s hands were on his hips, squeezing them like they were his. They still bore his bruises, he liked to trace over the sharp bone when they were bed together. 

“I just want to spend time here with you. We don’t have to do anything.” He laid his head on his chest and listened to his heart beat. It was soothing and gentle and this moment was quiet. This was what he was best at. Quiet moments that didn’t require words. Sometimes you just wanted someone’s presence next to him. The warmth of Kyle’s skin and his cologne smell. He let Kyle put his arm around his slight shoulders and pull him into his side. He had this moment to soak in and that was enough.

Craig’s parents were packing up the car with his college things. The drive to Princeton wasn’t far, but he felt like it was longest drive of his life. It was the great beyond, the unknown. He wasn’t going to be in his room with his parents. He wasn’t going to wake up and eat the same thing for breakfast and go to the same school and see his same friends. He wasn’t going to hold Tweek’s hand on the way to AP French 5. He wasn’t going to eat lunch with Token and Jimmy and have Friday night sleepovers with Clyde. He wasn’t going to do his homework with Trish and see his parents everyday. He wasn’t going to have the familiar and that scared him down to his core. He took a deep breath as they pulled up in front of Butler Hall, where he would call home for the next few months.

It was intimidating and it was big and he was going to have a roommate. He would made up his side of the room and he sat on his bed and looked around the room and willed himself not to feel overwhelmed. 

“I know you’re overwhelmed right now.” He read a text from Tweek. It was sweet and he missed him. He missed seeing him everyday and he missed having a person that he could trust like this. “But I know you’re going to do great.” Tweek always knew exactly what he needed.

“Thank you Tweek, I know you’ll do great too.” Tweek was going to community college and working at his parents’ coffee shop and he would do great things. He knew that their breakup was for the best and they would grow into smart, accomplished people. He also knew that he missed having him at his side. He missed his insight of what kind of person he was. He was overwhelmed by the newness of it all. This wasn’t his room at home and it didn’t smell like vanilla like his house did. It didn’t sound like his house and the only thing making it feel like home was hearing Stripe squeak in his cage. He turned on his side and looked at him, he was so content wherever he was. He had his cilantro and his water and he knew Craig would feed and brush him. He was a simple creature and Craig had so many thoughts swimming inside of his head he thought he was going to explode. 

He curled up in uneasy sleep, waking up every two hours. He could finally see the cold gray light of morning seeping through his window. He got up and took a shower and brushed his teeth. Got dressed and navigated himself to the dining hall. He tried to eat the same breakfast he would eat at home and he watched people who looked as nervous as he did navigate their way through this as well. He wasn’t alone, he was one of many scared teenagers who just wanted to find their place in the world while simultaneously wanting to go home to their parents. He went to the orientation activities and he signed up for classes. He went back to his room after being exhausted by having to socialise all day. He just wanted to come back and listen to music and read a little. 

He was actually excited when classes came around, he liked the structure of it all. He liked having a purpose and getting up and learning something. It was something he was comfortable with, familiar. He sat down in a big, beautiful lecture hall. It was everything he had ever dreamed of, everything he had studied for and wanted. He was setting up his laptop and getting everything ready when he felt this presence. He was setting his backpack on the floor when he saw expensive nike trainers. He looked up a little more and saw expensive dark denim trousers. His heart skipped a beat. It couldn’t be, fate wasn’t friendly and he didn’t believe in it anyways. It was a coincidence. There was no such thing as fate, people didn’t have storybook endings and if you wanted things to work out, you had to make it so. 

“Hey gorgeous, is this seat taken?” This voice was deep with that jersey accent on the back half. He looked up into very green eyes. Kyle Broflovski, the boy who was nothing but contradictions.

“No, you can sit here.” He gave him that little smile, just the edges of his lips quirked up. This wasn’t the end to their story, it wasn’t the beginning either. It was somewhere in the messy middle. Where they had seen each other naked, but they didn't know where they were going to end up after the summer. 

This was still overwhelming, it was unfamiliar. He knew there would be days where he second guessed himself and his decision to come here. Though, with a familiar face by his side, it might not be as frightening as he thought. 

This was his dream, it had always been his dream. Now, he just didn’t have to do this alone, he had a person to walk beside.


End file.
